Fence structure and method of making the same



Jan. 8, 1935. F. H. RUPPEL FENCE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed y 22, 1932 ATTORNEX Cit Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES OFFICE i My invention relates to the construction of fences and relates particularly to a method and means employed in the construction of fences which will enable the construction of a durable, artistic, and inexpensive fence of. novel character without the use of a permanent supporting framework for the pickets of which the fence is constructed.

Common practice in constructing. fences for gardens, estates, etc. is to erect .a framework consisting of posts with horizontal sills to which vertical pickets are secured by use of nails. The front side of such a fence may present a pleasing appearance, but on the opposite side thereof the framework is exposed and is generallynot of pleasing appearance. To coverthe framework on the inside of the fence-it is sometimes a practice to secure pickets thereon, this, however, adding very materially to the cost of the fence.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fence which does not employ a framework for supporting the pickets, and to provide a simple method whereby such a fence may be quickly and economically made. This novel fence presents a pleasing and artistic view from either side thereof owing to the fact that the inside'is no different from the outside.

A further feature of the invention is that pickets of rustic charactermay be readily employed owing to the fact that in mynew construction the pickets do not require fiat faces to rest against a framework such as ordinarily employed in fence construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fence comprising a supporting; member consisting of a body of concrete which rests in a channel or trench following the line of the fence and having picket members embedded therein and projecting. upwardly therefrom in a; desired spaced relationship. V

Further objects and advantages of theginvention will be set forth in the following part of the specification. 7

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a fence constructed in' accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a fence fabric which may be advantageously employed in the practice of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a View showing the fence fabric in a roll or bundle as delivered to the location at which the fence is to be erected.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a' method of erecting the fence.

Fig; 5 is anenlarged cross-sectionalview of a fence constructed-in the manner indicated in Fig. 4. r

The fence 11-shownin Fig. l comprises consecutive uprightmembers or pickets 12 in sideby-side placement. Thesepicket members; are supported only at'their lower ends by a supporting means 13 which follows the line of the fence and 10 consists' preferably of a body of concrete material cast in aform orin atrench in the ground and having the major portion thereof below the surface. of the ground. 'In this fence construction thegeneral rustic character of the fence lends itself readilyto the .use of roughly hewn or split picket members-rather than machine finished picket members, although either kind of picket member may besatisfactorily employed.

It will be noted that the inside and outside presentations 14 and 15 of the fence are the same, and therefore the fence is of equally good appearance when viewed from either-the inside or the outside thereof. In the fence 11, a gate opening 16 may be conveniently left in which agate 17 of rustic appearance to correspond to the fence 11 may be swung.-

'- In accordance with the method forming a part of the present invention, the fenceis constructed in the following manner. A form for the casting of the concretesupporting means is provided preferably by digging a trench 20, as shown in Fig.

4; along the line on which the fence is to be erected. 'In this trench picket members 12 .are supported in upright position, and concrete is .then' pouredinto the trench so as to embed the lowerends of the pickets 12. Although a temporary framework may be erected for supporting the pickets ;in properly spacedrelation and in verticalpo'sition, the'preferred practice of the in- 40 vention-includes the use of a fence fabric 21 of {the character disclosed in my copending application'Serial No. 624,042, filed July 22, 1932, entitled Fence ;;;fabric. This fence fabric comprises a plurality of pickets 12 arranged in side-by-side relation as shown in Fig. 2, with the sides of the pickets in engagement or with spaces 22 left therebetween as specifically illustrated. For holding the pickets 12 in such spaced relation, the fence fabric 21 has supporting means which may consist of metal strips 23 extending laterally across the pickets and longitudinally with respect to the group of pickets constituting the fence fabric and being secured to the pickets by use of nails 19 which extend through holes in the strips 23. This fence fabric may be cheaply assembled in a factory and may be rolled into bundles, such as shown at 24 in Fig. 3, for further handling or shipment to the locations of use. At the location on which the fence is to be erected, the fabric 21 is supported in upright position with the lower ends of the pickets 12 in the trench 20, the bottom of which may be left relatively smooth so that the lower ends of the pickets may restthereon, or.in the bottomof the trench strips of wood-maybe extended longitudinally on which the lower ends of the pickets 12 may rest so as to preserve a desired horizontal alignment of. such lower ends and likewise the upper ends of the pickets.12. 'I'hepickets are aligned in a vertical plane and are supported in vertical position during the pouring and hardening of the concrete in the trench .20- by exerting tension in the metal strips 23 constituting the supporting element of Lthe-ifence fabric 21. This tension in the members23 may be attained in several different ways such, for instance, as by use of a post 25 driveninto'the ground at one side of they'trench and having members '26 extending therefrom to which -cooperating ends 27 of the metal strips 23 maybe secured. The opposite ends28"of themetal-strips 23' may be connected to wires 3t) which-are'extendedover the respective parts "-31 and s-aor an -A-'fr-ame 33 p'lace'd' la'terally across the'tren'ch- 20 in the manner shown in Fig. *4, to a stakeli' driven in the trench 20. By tightening the wires 30, any desired tension may be attained in-the supporting strips 23'.

As shown in Fig. 5, the supporting means or concrete 13' ispoured into the-trench "20 and embeds the lower ends of the pickets 12. After this concrete has hardened, the metal strips 23 may be removed from the pickets, although in some practices-of thednventi'on the members 23 may be left permanently in place. Thearranging of the pickets 12 in a fence fabric preliminary to the erection of the pickets in the [fence structure is an expedient which very materially reduces the-cost o'f erectinga fencein acc'ordance with my inventionas thereby a large amount-of laborin placing the picketsin side-by-side relation and in proper vertical-alignment' is avoided.

The fence fabric'may'be quiekly set up in position, and'without the need' of 'greatskill onfthe part of the workman may be embedded in the holding means "13 to form a-,perma nent fence structure. These pickets 12, 1f fimade from selected wood, suchas -C'alifornia redwood, and

impregnated with preservatives, will last for a great length 'of time.

Owing to the rigid manner in 'which' thelpiokets are secured, a good appearance is maintained in the fence, 'and the owner thereof isinot :continually confronted with the necessity of l'renailing on .a supporting frame pickets which "have come-loose or have' beenknocke'd therefrom.

Although I have ihere'in shown and described myinvention in simple and practical {form} it is recognized that certain'parts-or elementsf'there- .-ing-.a ohannel-along the line on which the fence isto-be-constructed; supporting said fence fabric in upright position with the lower ends of said pieket menibersin said channel; exerting tension inwsaid supporting element so as to stretch said fabric taut and hold said picket members in alignment;-and forming a body of cement material in said channel so as to embed the lower ends of said "picket members'and, upon hardening, to rigidly hold them in upright position.

'2. A "method of the character described for constructing a'fence, including: forming a fence fabric by securing picket members in side-byside relation 'to a flexible supporting element;

forming-a channel along the 'line onwhich the fence is to be constructed; supporting said fence fabric'inupright position with'the lower ends of saidpicket members in said channel; forming a body of cement-material in said channel so as to embed the lower ends of said picket members and, upon hardening, to rigidly hold them in upright'position; and removing said supporting element.

3. A method 'of the character described for constructinga fence, including: forming a fence fabric by securing picket members in side-by-side relation to a flexible supporting element; forming 'a channel along the line onwhich the fence is to beconstructed; supporting said fence fabric in upright-position with the lower ends of said picket membersin said channel; exerting tension in said supporting element so as to stretch said fabric taut and hold said picket members in alignment; forming-a bodyof cement material in said channelsso as to embed the lower ends of said picket members and, upon hardening, to rigidly holdthem in upright position; and removing said supporting element.

"4. A method of the character described for ;constructing'a fence, including: forming a channel along the line on which said fence is to be ofcement material insaid channel-so as to embed the lower ends of said picket members and rigidly hold them in upright position; andremoving said temporary supporting element after said body has hardened. FREDERICK H. RUPPEL.

of cement material 

